How to Take a Hiking Tour of the Scottish Highlands

The Highlands of Scotland offer some of the most beautiful and challenging hiking terrain in the whole of Europe. From day excursions to week-long expeditions, the Highlands attract thousands of visitors every year, each eager to experience this unique area of the UK.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide what length of hiking tour you wish to plan. While a few days will allow you to get a taste of the highlands, 6 to 7 days is probably favourable if you want to experience the diversity of terrain on offer.

2. Decide whether you will bring a car which is a mixed blessing: while it allows you to begin your tour from a wide variety of remote highland car-parks, it also binds you to only walking a circuitous route, ending where you started. To make sure you never have to retrace your steps, it is best if you can get someone to drop you off at the start and pick you up at the end your tour.

3. Select what kind of walking you wish to do. Whether you prefer to climb mountains, stick to lowland paths or mix the two, adjust the amount of distance you will cover each day according to the height you will climb.

4. Select a suitable start point and end point. One very famous Scottish hiking route is the West Highland Way, starting outside Glasgow and ending in Fort William. This route is very popular for hiking tours, partly due to its convenient and easily accessible start and end points.

5. Buy ordnance survey maps of your chosen areas. This will allow you to plan in detail your precise routes for each day of your hiking tour.

6. Make a detailed route plan and leave it with someone who is not coming on the trip. This means in case of any emergency, it will be possible to roughly determine where your group is. Stick to marked paths and trails unless you are a very experienced map reader.

Tips & Warnings

• Hike in groups of at least two, and if possible three. Ensure at least one of you is an experienced hiker.
• Ensure that everyone in your group takes an active role in map-reading and route planning both before and during your tour. This way, regardless of any accidents, someone will always know precisely where you are.
• Plan a route which is well within the capabilities of your group’s weakest member.
• Always err on the side of caution when estimating the amount of distance you will cover in a day.
• Check weather forecasts in of your hiking tour. Highland weather is notoriously inhospitable, even in summer.
• Bring sufficient clothes, and never ever go hiking without waterproofs in the Highlands.
• When camping, make sure you leave your patch as you found it, take all your rubbish home, and do not light any open fires.
• Pack for every eventuality, and include more than sufficient food for the duration of your tour.
• The Highlands of Scotlands are home to some of the toughest walking terrain you will find anywhere. Take care when planning and walking.
• Scotland is home of the dreaded midge insect. Bring repellant and, if possible, a midge net to cover your face.

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